I have just returned from the most amazing 6 days spent trecking through the Columbian jungle. We set off on Wednesday in a group of twelve to reach a lost city hidden in the depths of the jungle. The area is controlled by the military at the moment and we had to pay them off so that they would protect us, as in 2004 8 tourists were kidnapped! We didn't have any problems on the trip and the whole area felt pretty safe. On our first day we walked for about four hours, most of which was uphill. After about 30 minutes it absolutely chucked it down with rain and we were all absolutely soaked! This meant that for the next 5 days we all had very smelly clothes! The views we got all along the way were amazing, but the best thing was it was so deserted. Hardly anyone does this trek compared to others, we passed two other groups over the entire period and were the only group at the lost city when we arrived. We passed a few indigenous villages were the people living there are completely cut off from the outside world, and only have contact
with the tourists who pass through. At the moment only one tour company visits this area but they reckon by next year 4 or 5 may be going there, which would make it a lot more crowded and would take away some of the beauty of it, as it was so peaceful. We walked for around 4 hours everyday, which was often uphill and in immense heat, but along the way there were always cold rivers and pools to bath in and drink from. We stayed in hammocks in littles camps where we were given lots of food, but bitten to death by mossies!
On the third day we arrived in the lost city, to get there we had to climb around 1800 steps which absolutely killed me. The view we got at the top was worth it though as we could see for miles across the jungle. We spent a relaxing day looking around the ruins of this city which was only discovered 30 years ago, Apparently the villagers know where some gold is hidden but wont tell anybody, we had a look but sadly didn't find anything! It was really cool looking around the remains of this
city which has survived really well, I think it is around 2000 years old but our guide only spoke Spanish so I could be very wrong on that one! We had a really good group of people and all seemed to get on well. Every night we had a yoga session as we were so stiff from walking and carrying heavy bags everyday. On our fifth day we had to walk 8 hours but luckily we could buy beer and chocolate in the camp we were staying in! One of the most fun parts was all the river crossings, on one day we had to cross 8 times! At one point me and Tamzin got a bit lost and waded down the river, but turned back when it got waist deep!
On our final day we had an opportunity to visit a tienda where a guy made cocaine base, it was a demonstration tent and the actually operation was hidden in the jungle. I ummed and arhhed for ages as I hate the idea of directly giving the 7.50 bucks we had to pay to these guys but in the end a group of us decided to go. It
was really interesting to see and the guy showed us how to make it, It was disgusting to see what goes in, a hell of a lot of gasoline, potassium, sulphuric acid, chalk and lots of mus as the guys stamp the coco leaves with their wellies! We saw the base getting made and it then got sold on to another factory where another 4 chemicals were made to make cocaine. The guys said every month he had to move around as the whole area is controlled by the military who often destroy coco fields. It was really interesting to see, Cocaine is such a bug business here and its absolutely destroying columbia as the guys making the profit are the paramilitary and guerrilla soilders.
We then had a four hour walk back, and a very long wait as our bus broke down and we had to hitch back to Santa Marta. I'm back in Santa Marta now and we are going to head to the beach for some much needed r and r!
xxxxx
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